Frame



- w.. p; ANTRIM FRAME File ad Oct. 15, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 PatentedApr. 14, 1936 William D. Antrhn, Gloucester, N. 3., assignor to Robertsa lander Stove Company, Philadelphia, Pa, a corporation of PennsylvaniaApplication October 15, 1934, Serial No. 748,392

4 Claims. (01. 189-34) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in metal frame structures and the method of same, andrelates more particularly to novel base frame structures for use inconjunction with cooking ranges, cabinets and other like structures.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a. novel metal framestructure of the character set forth having an integral base flangeprojecting outward horizontally from the frame throughout its extent.

Another object of the invention is to provide a metal frame structure of.the stated character constructed from angle bar stock wherein one legof the angle bar constitutes a horizontally pro- Jecting base flangeconstructed and arranged so that the peripheral radius .of said flangeat a curvature or corner-in the frame is equal to the width of the saidflange at any other point in said go frame.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a frame structureof the stated character which is particularly adaptable to present daycabinet ranges and the like.

2'5 Another object of the invention is to provide a frame structure ofthe character set forth whichis novelly constructed and arrangedto-provide a relatively large base surface area.

Another object of the invention is to provide a 30 base frame of thecharacter stated for cabinet rangeswhichisso constructedastogreatlyreduce the possibility of damage to the cabinet and chippingof enamel from the wall panels thereof during shipment.

' 35 A A further object of the invention is to provide aFlg.2isaviewinperspectivesimilartothedisclosure in Fig. 1 showing anumber of apertures formed in the angle bar at predetermined spacedintervals.

50 Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in plan of a -portion of an aperturedangle barmounted in a bending or comer forming device.

Fig. 4 is a view in section on line 4, 4, Fig. 3. 55 Fig.5lsaviewinplansimiiartotbedisclosure in Fig.3 after the bar has beenbent to form a corner of the frame.

Fig. 6 is a view in plan showing a completed rectangular base frame fora cabinet-range made in accordance with the present invention. I 5

Fig. '7 is an enlarged view in perspective showing a corner section ofthe frame disclosed in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view in section through the base frame structureshowing a wall panel of a 10 cabinet range mounted thereon.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged view in plan of a corner of a base frame snowingwall panels of a cabi net range associated therewith; and I Fig. 10 is aview similar to Fig. 9 showing 15 another arrangement by which wallpanels of a cabinet may be mounted with respect to the frame which formsthe subject matter of the present invention.

Referring now more particularly to the draw-.-

ings, a frameconstituting the present invention is made from metal anglebar stock comprising the customary respectively perpendicular legs I and2. As shown in the draw the leg I of the angle bar is of less width thanthe leg 2 thereof but thisparticular relationship is not essential andmay be otherwise.

g In making a frame in accordance with this in vention a predeterminedlength of metal angle bar A, equal to the developed length of theproposed frame structure, is cut from the barstock. and a predeterminednumber of apertures or openings 3 are punched or otherwise formed in thesaidqangle bar at predetermined spaced intervals therealong, eachparticular aperture 3 being located along the angle bar A so that thetransverse axis of said aperture will reside in the same plane as theads about which the bar A will be bent to form a. corner of the frame.The apertures 3 may be formed in the bar by an independent operation butfor production work it is desirable to form the apertures in the bar atthe same time that the desired predetermined length of the angle bar Ais cut from the stock.

It will be noticed by a reference to Fig. 2 of thedrawings that theapertures 3 formed at spaced intervals in the angle bar, are in eachinstance so positioned that metal is removed from both of the legs I and2 of said bar, and that the greater portion thereof is removed from thefirst mentioned or shorter leg 1 than from the leg 2. The purpose forthis particular arrangement of the apertures 3 in the angle bar withrespect to the legs i and 2 thereof will be described more in detailhereinafter.

When the angle bar A has been cut to the desired length from the stockand the apertures or openings 3 have been formed therein as previouslyset forth, the said angle bar is placed in a bending device designatedgenerally as 4.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings the bending device 4comprises sections B and C pivotally connected at 5, each of saidsections 13 and C including a bracket portion 6 and a projecting web Ihaving a lip 8 for respectively embracing the legs 2 and I of the bar A.The sections of the clamp or bending device 4 are firmly secured to theleg 2 of the angle bar by means of bolts 9 threaded in the bracketportions 6 which embrace leg 2. As shown in the drawings one of theclamp sections C is provided with a handle III for actuating the samerelatively with respect to the other section B about their common pivot5. It should be noticed that the portions 6 of each section of the clampgrip the leg 2 of the bar A and support the same closely adjacent eachend of the opening 3 in the bar, the purpose for which will be describedhereinafter. With the clamp or bending device 4 firmly in position onthe angle bar A, one or both of the sections B and C thereof may bepivoted toward each other until the adjacent portions of the leg 2 ofthe bar are respectively at an angle of 90, or any other particularangle that may be desired, thus forming a corner of the frame. The clampor bending device 4 may then be removed from the bar by loosening theretaining bolts or screws 9. a

With regard to the bending of the angle bar A to form a corner in aframe, it is pointed out that the principal object of the invention isto provide such a corner wherein the radius of the projecting horizontalleg I at said corner will be substantially equal to the width of thesaid leg at all other points throughout the frame; in other words, willbe of substantially uniform constant width throughout the frameirrespective of any bending of the angle bar to form a corner therein.Obviously in order that the horizontal projecting base leg I may be ofsubstantially uniform width throughout the entire frame, the peripheryof said leg at the corner must have a curvature the peripheral radius ofwhich isno greater than the width of the'leg I, and in order to formsuch a. curve with the leg] it is necessary that themetallic particlescomposing the same be stretched or elongated through circular arcshaving a common center, the outermost or peripheral are having a radiussubstantially equal to the width of the leg.

In the present instance the stretching or elongation of the metallicparticles in the horizontal leg I at a corner is made possible by theformation' of the apertures 3 in thebar A, and it will be noticed thatsaid apertures function to sever the leg I from the leg 2 between theends of each opening 3 formed therein. Consequently with the portions 6of the bending device 4 gripping the leg 2 adjacent each end of such anopening 3, actuation of the sections B and C of the device toward eachother about their common pivot 5 will cause the metal in the horizontalleg I to, be stretched or elongated in the manner previously described,and when so stretched or elongated the periphery of the legI at thecorner will form a curve the radius of which is substantially equal tothe width of the said leg throughout the remainder ofthe angle bar A.

Furthermore it will be obvious that if the metal fibres in leg I arestretched or elongated at a corner in the above manner, the metal fibresin the leg 2 must be compressed proportionately or a substantiallyequivalent amount of the metal must be displaced therefrom. Thus it willbe seen that by severing the leg 2 from the leg I for the length of anopening 3, that portion of the leg 2 between the ends of said aperturebeing freed from connection with the horizontal leg I, will be displacedoutwardly with respect to the adjacent portions of the leg 2' and assumethe form of a loop as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

A particular feature of the invention resides in the fact that all ofthe operations herein described for making a frame in accordance withthe present invention may be done cold without any heating of the metalwhatever, and when all of the corners in a particular base framestructure have been formed in the manner described above, as forinstance the rectangular base frame structure disclosed in Fig. 4, theadjacent ends of the angle bar may be welded or otherwise permanentlysecured together as indicated at III.

It is desirable to point out at this time that in ordinary practice thecorner angles of a frame made in accordance with this invention shouldbe formed in machine opera-ted mechanisms as contrasted to the manuallyoperated clamp or bending device 4 which has been described hereinsolely for the purpose of showing in as simple a manner as possible justhow the respectively perpendicular leg portions of the angle bar A aregripped or engaged by portions of any mechanism used so that the anglebar may be formed into a frame in accordance with the invention.

A frame structure made in accordance with this invention is of anextremely rigid nature and sufficiently durable to withstand many yearsof use. Such a frame is particularly adaptable for use as a base framestructure for modern ranges and other cabinet like structures of themore so-called modemistic design, wherein the wall panels extendcontinuously from the top to the bottom of such a structure, and may ormay not be provided with supporting legs or casters.

For instance by providing such a base frame with a horizontal projectingbase flange or leg I, as shown in Fig. 8, a wall panel II stamped frommetal sheet and provided with a peripheral flange I2 of a widthsubstantially equal to the width of the upper surface of the said leg Imay conveniently be mounted upon said base flange or leg I and securedthereto at its peripheral flange in any suitable manner. A reference toFig. 8 will disclose that the particular arrangement Just described willgive a neat, clean-cut, external appearance to such a structure which isof pleasing appearance and in conformity with present day trends in theconstruction of household furnituresuch as cabinets, cabinet ranges andthe like.

A solid wall panel of wood or other fibrous texture or composition (notshown) might readily be substituted for the stamped metal wall panel II,with exactly the same result as far as the neatness and appearance ofthe structure are concerned, and in some structures, it may be desirableto provide the frame with a horizontal projecting flange I of somewhatgreater width than the width of a wall panel II supported thereon, sothat the former may project a small distance beyond the plane of thesurface of said wall panel as indicated at I3 in Fig. 8, thus forming ineffect a bead or strip at an edge of the wall panel which will act as afender or guard against objects being knocked against the surto theadjacent 4 leg I is sufficient having a substantially vertical leg andan integral face of the wall panel, marking or chippin the same. Theprojecting edge It may also be painted orplated with a color in contrastto the color of the wall panel and thereby increase the external beautyand eflect oi'the same.

The adaptation of the present invention .to structures of the generalclass of cabinets is further illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 of thedrawings, and in keeping abreast with the modem trend of cabinet designwherein the majority or the cornersoi such structures are rounded off bymolding or other cabinet workers methods, the curved corners of theframe as will be noticed, lend themselves admirably to this particularfeature. It is important to note that the bottom edge of the loop ofmetal displaced with respect portions of the leg Z'is relatively spacedwith respect to the upper surface of the projecting leg I by reason ofthe formation of the openings 3 in the angle bar so that a portion ofmetal is removed from both of the legs I and 2 respectively aspreviously described in detail. And this space intermediatethe'displaced metal and the upper surface of the horizontal so that the.peripheral flange ii at the bottom of the stamped metal wall panel itmay easily iit therebetween and beneath the displaced loop of metal toprovide a further support and increase the strength of the wallstructure. 7 v

While the particular construction of the base frame has beenspecifically set forth for the purpose of description together withexamplesof its adaptation to several specific arrangements of wall panelsectionstherewith, it is n t intended that the invention be limitedprecisely thereto but that the same may have innumerable uses andadaptations so long as the same are within the scope of the annexedclaims.

What I claim is: 1. A skeleton frame structure composed of bent anglebar stock and including alternately disposed corner and adjacent sideportions each horizontal leg projecting outwardly from one edge of saidvertical leg, said vertical leg being severed irom .the horizontal legat said corner portions and displaced to compensate for elongation insaid horizontal leg at the corner portions.

2. A skeleton frame composed of bent angle bar stock and includingcorner and adjacent side portions each having a vertical leg and anintegral outwardly projecting-horizontal base leg the peripheral edge ofwhich at said comer portions forms a circular archaving a'radiussubstantially equal to the width of said leg in a side portion, saidvertical leg being severed from the horizontal leg at the comer-portionsof the frame and displaced to compensate for the elongation in saidhorizontal leg in arranging the same so that its peripheral edge forms acircular arc the radius of which is substantially equal to the width oi.said leg at a side portion.

angle bar stock and including alternately disposed corner and adjacentside portions each having a substantially vertical leg and a continuoushorizontal leg projecting outwardly from said vertical leg, said framebeing constructed and arranged at said corner portions thereof so thatthe vertical leg is displaced laterally of the irame to compensate torelongation in said horizontal leg arc the radius of which issubstantially equal to the width of said leg at a side portion.

WILLIAM p.

having a vertical leg and a con- 3. A skeleton frame structure composedof bent

